Current absorbent articles, such as infant diapers, toddler briefs and adult incontinent garments, are designed to maximize urine absorption but do little to keep bowel movement stool from soiling a user's genitalia. In certain situations, when an infant's stool is introduced and comes into contact with his genitalia (penis and scrotum), the effects can be quite harmful. By way of example, male infants undergoing pediatric circumcision, hypospadias surgery, and other similar forms of penile surgery are at a high risk for dressing and wound contamination from stool soiling in the diaper. In such penile surgical situations, surgical dressings are placed on the penis and/or scrotum to control and prevent post-operative bleeding and to minimize the risk of infection. The dressing should be kept dry for two to five days to allow healing of the surgical site. If the dressing becomes stool soiled, early rinsing of the dressing or removal of the dressing is necessary to prevent infection from entrapped stool. Aside from the problem of early rinsing or removal of penile surgical dressing, the inability to keep the post-operative genital site clean can result in very harmful consequences such as infection, inflammation, or additional scarring. In turn, these consequences may require additional surgeries.
In addition to complications arising in post-operative situations, it is also harmful for stool and waste material to remain in contact with the male genitalia, penis and/or scrotum, for a prolonged period of time. For example, male infants are at risk for infection of the foreskin or urinary tract in non-surgical situations. Even adults may be at risk for infections of the foreskin or urinary tract when they utilize an incontinent product when faced with bowel and/or bladder incontinence. Excrement contact with the male genitalia is a very common problem because there are no barriers preventing the stool migration to the genitalia region when a conventional absorbent article is used. When the stool migrates to the male genitalia region, caregivers find it difficult and time consuming to effectively clean the soiled area. Like post-operative situations, if the stool remains in contact with the male genitalia, potential harmful consequences may result, such as urinary tract infections, or inflammation of the male genitalia.
The above issues can be avoided by using the absorbent article of this invention which is specifically designed to be worn after a male undergoes a medical or surgical procedure.